Reply To: Walking Rounds

I work in an ER, so it is a different beast altogether. Our reports usually take about 30 seconds on our way out the door to lunch. The only exceptions is if we need to pass on important information like still needing a urine sample, another med needs to be hung after the current med is in, just gave some narcotics so keep the pulse ox alarm on while I’m gone, etc … but usually we try to take our breaks when our patients don’t require anything for 30 minutes other than discharge notes.

I can see the value of in front of the patient reports in that the patient can pass on what is really his main concern and you can see all of the tubes that are in place and get a baseline mental exam in while everyone is still there. That being said, I would hate having to do that. A lot of what goes into report isn’t anything I would want the patient or family to hear. Not that I slam all of my patients behind their back, but sometimes I want to tell me coworkers, “this guy gives me the creeps, don’t shut the door and don’t let him between you and the door.” I’ve felt that way about people that have not tried to kill anyone, so I’m glad I didn’t say it in front of them, but I have also said it about people that have gone ballistic, so I think things like that add to the value of change of shift reporting.